


Dear Mr. Captain

by dimitr_i



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: (kinda), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awesome Sarah Rogers, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Kid Peter Parker, M/M, Minor Violence, Other, Pen Pals, Tags Contain Spoilers, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trans Bucky Barnes, Trans Peter Parker, hospitals suck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:01:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22793677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dimitr_i/pseuds/dimitr_i
Summary: Dear Mr. Captain Rogers Sir,Hello! My name is Peter and I live in New York with my dad!----------A young Peter B. Parker sends a letter to a certain soldier.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Peter Parker, James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton, Peter Parker & Steve Rogers, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 39
Kudos: 397





	1. delivery for the Captain

Dear Mr. Captain Rogers Sir,

Hello! My name is Peter and I live in New York.

My teacher gave my class a project for us to write letters to family out of state, but since my family is small, I don’t have family I don’t already live with (besides Harley, but I call him all the time). My Uncle Rhodey works for the ~~millit~~ military and he said that I could send letters to soldiers that he works with! He gave me some names and I got to pick, and I like Mr. Rogers from the show that daddy plays for me. He said he met you before and thinks you're nice which ~~autamatically~~ automatically makes you cool because my uncle is the best!

I live in Manhattan with my dad and some of his friends. He’s really smart and he makes robots for big companies (he keeps his favorites in his workshop so he doesn’t have to give them away). My favorite is Dum-E because he likes to play fetch with me, but he makes really bad sandwiches that dad hates.

I’m in the fourth grade right now and my favorite classes are math and after-school science. Some of the kids make fun of me for it but I don’t care because I wanna be an ~~engeinner~~ engineer like my dad. What was your favorite subject in school? 

When I’m helping my dad, I really like to draw! Do you draw? Aunt Pepper (she is my dad’s assistant, but she’s really cool) is really good and if I ask her nicely and help make dinner with her, he draws really cool designs on my notebooks and folders and for school. She made one for my friend Ned. What are your friends like? Do you get to work with them? 

From, Peter P.

*-*

"Steven!" Steve quickly ran out of his tent and out to the bonfire. Bucky, his very loud and annoying brother, was sitting on the ground as close as he could get to the fire, waving an envelope his hand. Steve sighed, realizing there was no danger, and sat next to him.

"Is that from mom?"

"Nope," he handed the envelope to Steve, throwing bits of a stick into the fire. "I don't recognize the address, but it's definitely for you. Mail boy said someone high-up back at base asked for it to be sent directly to you." Steve hummed as he opened it, leaning away from Bucky as he tried to read the letter. The writing was messy, certain words scratched out and rewritten. Steve had only seen this kind of writing with children and one very childish adult. Bucky must have noticed his confusion, kicking Steve's foot as he asked, "Who is it?"

"You remember our first year when they asked us if we wanted to sign up for pen-pals?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, but that was years ago."

"Well, better late than never," Bucky shifted suddenly, now shoulder to shoulder with Steve.

"I wanna read it!" Steve moved farther away, holding the letter behind himself, away from Bucky's hands. Some of the others watched as the two wrestled for a bit, Bucky trying to grab the piece of paper. He finally gave up once Steve had a leg thrown over his chest, pinning him to the ground. "Steve!"

"You have to skype Clint in less than five minutes! I'll let you read it later." Bucky whined, slapping Steve's leg until he was free. He watched Bucky grumble to himself as he trudged over to the tent, yelling some unsavory words back to him. Steve lingered around the fire, smiling as he reread the letter. It became clear how the letter came directly to him. He had only met Rhodes a few times, most of those times being a quick greeting. 

He had completely forgotten that he signed up to receive letters. The only people he got mail from were the care packages from his mom and the rare letters from Clint. This felt so different, somehow more personal. This kid seemed so excited to send him a letter and he had no idea who Steve was. After a few more reads, Steve got up, dusting himself off and heading back to the tent. 

Bucky was sitting at the computer, clearly in the middle of an exaggerated tale. Steve could just make out the slightly laggy fed of Clint, Bucky's husband. They all used to be in the same unit, at least until an IED blew out most of Clint's hearing. He was discharged and Both Bucky and Steve took time off to help him adjust. The three men spent the next few months learning ASL from online classes and Steve's mother. During their third month, Steve got a call from Bucky in the middle of the night, his voice way too chipper, to tell Steve that they were engaged. The next morning, Steve brought his mom to meet Bucky and Clint at a courthouse and sign all the papers. Clint had been Bucky's first and only boyfriend, and he had always been supportive. Steve's only problem with the man was his complete lack of public decency at times.

Nevertheless, he sat next to his brother and waved at the screen, "Hello Clint,"

"Cap! So good to see you! How's the sand and dirt been treating you?"

"Hot all day, freezing all night, just the usual. Bucky is still an asshole, per usual." Bucky scoffed at both Steve's words and Clint's laughter.

"Well, we can't have him being decent all of a sudden, can we now?" Bucky, about to defend himself, was cut off by clint shouting into the microphone, "Now, I hear that someone had an ickle little letter they won't share!" 

"It's just from some kid, Barton."

"Well, random child or not, you going to write back, right? You can't crush this child's heart by leaving him hanging! The Captain I know would never hurt an innocent like that," 

"Hey, I never said I _wasn't_ going to respond, so don't get your panties in a twist. Right now, however, I intend to go to bed. Try not to keep him up too late and do keep in mind I have to share this tent with Buck," Bucky laughed along with Clint, both practically falling off their chairs.

"Oh, dear brother, I am many things, but that list does not include quiet." Steve gagged as he walked to his cot, sliding out a small box from underneath. He set the letter inside atop the remanence of his last care package. Steve fell asleep to Bucky's voice, his last thoughts already drafting his response. 


	2. homemade lasagna

Dear Peter,

My name on your list probably said Captain Rogers, but you can just call me Steve. I’m glad you picked my name out of everyone on that list, reading your letter really made my day. Your uncle is one of my bosses, but I’m glad to hear he likes me (it might be a problem if he didn’t). 

I’m actually from New York too, though I was raised in Brooklyn. When I was younger, I got sick a lot, so I didn’t get to go to school as much as everyone else. When I did go, my favorite class was art. Whenever I was sick, I spent all of my time drawing, so I got pretty good at it. My brother was better at numbers and he always helped me with math and science. What kind of experiments do you do in your science class? 

Don’t worry about what other kids say. They’re probably just jealous because you’re so smart (if any of them ever try to pick a fight with you, I’ll make sure to fly over myself and give you a hand). I think that it’s  super  cool that you get to help your dad build robots. Dum-E sounds like my dog back home. His name is Dodger and he’s my very best friend (don’t tell my brother, he’ll get jealous). One time, I threw a ball down the hallway and he ran right into a wall! He was fine, but I let him sleep with me on the bed for a while. Do you have any pets? 

My brother is over here with me. We work on the same team so we can watch each other's backs. He’s always saving my butt from the other guys. Sadly, being on the same team means I have to sleep in the same tent (he snores,  a lot , but he refuses to admit it). My other friends are at home, but I get to call them whenever I’m not busy. 

What’s your favorite part of New York? I haven’t been in a while, so I might need to catch up on some things. 

Sincerely, Steve Rogers

P.S. On the back is a drawing of my brother, Bucky. He was trying to balance ten spoons on his face at once during dinner

\----------

Tony had been in the middle of making dinner when Pepper arrived. Peter was sitting on the counter as Tony’s official taste tester. He handed Peter the spoon, watching as his eyes lit up, “What’s the verdict?”

“Perfect!”

“Good. This is a very special recipe and we need to get it just right, just like Nonna made.”

“Sir, Ms. Pott’s has arrived.” Peter jumped off the counter before Jarvis could even finish, running to the door. He opened the door for Pepper and dragged her into the kitchen, oblivious to the stack of papers she held in her hand.

Pepper had been a part of their tiny family for years. She had been Tony’s personal assistant before Peter had even been born. She helped him get sober after the baby had shown up on his doorsteps, watched over Peter when Tony had gone...missing, for a couple of months. Pepper was there through thick and thin, for both Tony and Peter. He had no doubts in his mind when he promoted her to CEO. 

“Well, what have we got here?” Pepper set a pile on the counter, taking her seat at the counter.

“Dad’s making Lasagna for dinner!” she gasped, clutching her chest. 

“Special Lasagna? Is there something we’re celebrating?”

“Well, Peter here got an A on his science project, which he worked super hard on and completely by himself.” Pepper picked up Peter and set him back onto the counter. She slid the stack of files across the counter and pulled out a single envelope, waving it in front of her face. 

“Well, Rhodey sent over a special delivery to my office for a certain someone. He wouldn’t tell who it was from, but he said to give it to Peter as quickly as possible.” Peter squealed, making grabby hands at the envelope. 

“Can I see it? Please! Pretty pretty, please?” Pepper walked over to Peter’s spot, handing him the letter. She shifted toward Tony so she could whisper, ”Who is that from?” 

“He sent a letter to a soldier from that pen pal list; he’s been waiting for a response back for quite a while.” 

“Dad!” Peter, once again, jumped off the counter, ”Can I open it now?”

“Of course, but you’re going to have to wait until after dinner to write back, ok?” Peter was already running to the couch and tearing it open, flattening the piece of paper on the coffee table and reading carefully. Tomy watched as he flipped the paper over, bursting into a fit of giggles and running back over. 

”Dad, look at the picture he drew,” Tony huffed. It was actually a pretty good sketch of a guy doing something Tony couldn’t quite figure out. 

“Wow, Pete!”

”He said his brother was balancing spoons on his face!” 

”Well, that’s just silly, isn’t it? Why don’t you and Pep help me finish up dinner, and we can call uncle Rhodey while it’s cooking so you can tell him all about your letter. Does that sound good?” 

”Okay!” Peter ran down the hallway, the letter clutched tightly in his hand. 


	3. slime time

Dear Mr. Steve,

That picture on the back of your letter was so cool! I showed it to my dad and he thought it was super funny and he helped me pin it to my wall. Is your brother like this all the time? My brother helps me prank dad when he’s here, but he’s at college right now.

My science classes are only once a week, but last Thursday, we got to make slime! It was really messy, but we could pick whatever color we wanted and I made mine bright red. Have you ever made slime before? I could teach you how to when you come back if you want! It’ll be so fun, we could make slime for every color. 

I don’t have any pets, but I think of my robots as pets. I’ve asked my dad, but he sometimes has to go on these business trips that last forever, but he always comes back. Last week, I taught Dum-E how to make a smoothie that Dad can drink without getting sick. One time, he tried to make coffee for Dad using car oil, and Dad was so tired that he didn’t even notice! He was sick for a couple of days, but now he thinks it’s really funny. 

My favorite part of New York is probably the view of the city. My house is up super high and my room has a big window that I like to look at. Whenever I’m sad, Dad will set up a fort on the roof and he’ll show me all the ~~constalat~~ constellations. It’s really fun, even if it gets super cold. I don’t think a lot of things have changed, but dad says the world is always changing. He always says that “It’s important to be ten steps ahead, so when the world forces you to take two steps back, there’s room to think.”(He says it all the time when he works late).

Has it been a really long time since you’ve been home? What do you miss most about your home?

From Peter 

P.S. Uncle Rhodey said you might not be able to tell me, but is it pretty where you are? He sends me pictures sometimes of where he’s at. He always says the sunsets are really pretty, do you like them?

\----------

Steve could tell, as soon as he walked into the tent, that it was not gonna be a good day. Bucky was curled up on his cot, facing the wall. His boots and jacket were tossed on the ground and he had all the blankets bunched up in his arms, even Steve's blankets were missing. "Buck?" his only response was an angry grunt and a sock thrown at his head. "Buck, talk to me."

"I'm kind of busy wanting to fucking crawl into the desert and die, Rogers. Did you ever think about that? No! of course you can't with your tiny fucking walnut brain." Steve had learned very early on that when Bucky lost his temper, it was better to simply let him yell until it was all out before trying to insert himself in the way. Trying to interrupt him would only result in some sort of physical reaction, most commonly a broken nose. It had taken Steve a while to figure that out himself, having a short temper himself. He let Bucky cuss him out for a while, waiting until the names died down.

"Did you run out?" another sock to the head. 

"Yeah, no shit. Now I have to wait for your ma to clear it so they can send it over, meanwhile, we are in the ass crack of nowhere doing nothing! God is lucky I brought extra shit or I would go up myself and cut his dick off, see how he likes it." Steve laughed, sitting at the foot of the cot. Bucky's hair was a mess, thrown haphazardly in a ponytail. 

"Good luck with that. For now, use this. I can go see if Decker will let me borrow that heating pad he has for his knee,” before Steve even stood up, a shadow walked toward the tent." before Steve even stood up, he spotted a shadow walking toward the tent. 

"Captain?” Steve recognized the voice as one of the newer guys. He jogged to the entrance before the soldier could walk in and see Bucky’s state.

"Yes?” the guy handed him two packages and a letter.

"These just arrived Captain, for you and Sergeant Barnes.”

"Thank you. And if you have time, tell Decker I need to ask him for something.”

"Got it, Captain.” with a short salute, the man was off to hand out more deliveries. Steve walked back into the tent and looked at who sent the packages. One of the packages was from his mom, addressed to both himself and Bucky, while the other was from Clint. The letter, bright red and slightly sparkly, was from Peter.

Steve sat back down on the bed, handing Bucky both of the packages. ”From Mom and Clint.” 

"Thank god, gimme the box,” Steve didn’t pay attention to what was in the boxes, his focus entirely on the letter. He read it through twice, smiling at each little story before he finally noticed Bucky poking at his thigh. ”Look at what he did.” Bucky shoved a bag in his hand, specifically, a bag of skittles. The logo was taped over, now read ’Bucky’s super real happy pills’.

“That’s disgustingly cute.”

“This is why I haven’t killed him yet: this, the sex, and that fucking burger he makes.” 

“I’m gonna ignore everything in that sentence beside the burger thing. Those are amazing,”

“Exactly!” Bucky set the bag down as he glanced at the letter. He seemed much less angry than earlier. “Is that from the kid?”

“Yeah, you wanna read it?”

“Read it to me, I wanna look at what Ma sent you,”

“Sent us.”

“Whatever, just read Rogers.” So Rogers read.


	4. gym class

Dear Peter,

I’m glad you liked the picture. My brother Bucky is like that a lot. He likes to cheer everyone else up, even if he’s feeling down. One of our friends taught him how to juggle so when we are all sitting by the fire, he’ll grab whatever is closest to him and see how long he can juggle without dropping it. What’s your brother like? 

Your science class seems really fun, better than my classes. I’ve never made slime myself, but it sounds extremely messy. I’d be happy to meet you, but that’s something you have to ask your father before I can visit. He sounds like a great guy, even though his robots are a bit silly. 

I can’t talk much about where I am, I’m on a super-secret mission right now, but I do have some pictures I can send over. One is of me standing next to this giant cactus we found! (They wanted me to stand next to it cause I’m super tall) and the others are some pretty places I got pictures of. 

Sincerely, Steve Rogers

P.S. send some pictures of New York when you can, I think it would cheer up a lot of the guys over here

\----------

Tony had been having a normal day. He had gotten a little work done in his workshop, he got some papers done with Pepper, and he even had a quite productive video call. Everything had been going according to plan, for once in his life. Everything was perfectly fine, up until he got a phone call from Peter’s school saying that he had been in a fight with another kid and wouldn’t talk. 

Tony rushed to the school, barely putting his shoes on before jumping into the car. Even after the fifteen-minute drive, Tony couldn’t think of why Peter would get into a fight. He played nice with everyone, he did what he was told and didn’t break any rules. He had never told Tony about other kids at school bothering him. Peter was just nice all around.

Tony parked his car and jogged into the office. Peter was sitting in the corner, holding an ice pack to his face. Another was sitting on the other side of the office, crying loudly as the nurse tried to console him. Tony walked over to his son and crouched down. He grabbed Peter’s arm, pulling the ice pack down just enough to see the black eye his face was slowly forming.

“Petey, what happened?” Peter shook his head, slowly removing his hand from Tony’s grasp. 

“Mr. Stark?” He turned around, looking up at the principal. She ushered them into the office, leaving the crying boy behind. Peter didn’t even look up as he sat down, hunching his shoulders. 

“It seems Penelope-”

“His name is Peter.”

“Peter and Mr. Thompson had some sort of disagreement, but neither of them want to discuss it. From what the other children say, Mr. Thompson started picking on him, Peter said some things back, and Mr. Thompson threw the first punch. Since they both decided to participate, both children will be dismissed for the rest of today and will serve two days of lunch detention. Now, I suggest you both bring your kids home. Mr. Thompson, Mr. Parker, I suggest you both think about what happened today and cool off before coming back to school tomorrow.” The principal dismissed them quickly, trying to end this meeting as soon as he could. Tony tried to hold Peter’s hand, but the boy simply kept his head down and followed slightly behind him. Tony led him to the car and helped him into the back. Instead, once Peter was buckled up, he stood next to the seat, gently running his thumb across his face. 

“Pete, can you tell me what happened? Please?” Peter wiped a tear off his face, still not looking at his father.

“When we were in the gym, Ms. Asher had us separate into a boy's side and girl's side. I asked her if I could go to the boys side and she said yes but...but w-when I went to the boys side, Flash yelled at me and said I had to go to the girl’s side,” Tony held Peter as he burst into tears, shaking as he finally let all of his emotions out.

Peter had problems before with Flash. The kid had heard about Penelope and decided to torment Peter with it, constantly reminding him of his old name. Most of his teachers respected it and helped Peter out when they could, but sometimes he just had bad days.

“It’s ok bud, you’re ok.” Tony held Peter, ignoring some of the stares from people walking by. Once Peter had calmed down enough to take a couple of deep breaths, Tony pulled back from him, wiping away Peter’s tears with his sleeve. “Why don’t we go relax at home for a bit, make some dinner with Pepper. We can check the mail too and see if Captain Rogers sent anything yet, does that sound good baby?” As Peter slowly nodded, Tony knew that he would be ok.


	5. sleeping beauty

Dear Mr. Steve

My brother is super cool and smart! He goes to a super far away school so he can’t visit a lot. He’s going to learn how to build special doctor robots. I think it’s cool, but I think dad is jealous. He’s supposed to come home for a few days soon! Do you think your brother could teach me how to juggle? My friend Ned would think it's super funny

I can’t go to my classes for the rest of the week and I think my dad is upset. I wanted to go to the boy's side to play in gym, but this mean kid in my class yelled at me. He said cause I’m supposed to be with the girls and he pushed me on the ground. I pushed him back, but he hit his arm really hard on the ground. The school said it was my fault but dad said that they were wrong. I think he was really mad at them. 

Even though I miss school, I like staying home with dad. He always skips his meetings and it makes Aunt Pepper angry, but she said told me that she is just annoyed. I think it’s funny when Dad and I hide from her when she comes back. Jarvis always pretends to help dad, but I know Jarvis tells her. 

Jarvis is our super cool robot. Dad says he’s an ~~artifish~~ artificial ~~inteligense~~ intelligence, but I haven’t learned about that. He doesn’t have a body like Dum-E, but dad says his body is the whole house! He runs everything and even helps me do my work when Dad is away. One day, I wanna build something as cool as Jarvis and name them myself. Then, Jarvis could have a friend.

My dad and I got some cool pictures printed for you and your friends. My brother took some of them when he was here, but my dad helped me take most of them! I hope you like them!

From Peter

\----------

Steve had just woken up, his arms heavy and his eyes dry. He tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in his side stopped him. Bucky appeared out of nowhere, pushing him back down. 

“Hey dumbass, glad you finally decided to wake up from your beauty rest.” Steve groaned. He was in one of the local hospitals, run down and dim, yet still clean. A nurse walked through the door, saying something to Bucky in a language his brain refused to recognize. She checked Steve’s vitals before nodding to both men and leaving. 

“The last thing I remember is telling Collins to focus on the road,”

“Your van hit a shitty IED, probably right after that. Collins sprained his ankle and you have a minor concussion and some bruised ribs. We found two more, but neither of them went off. Morita got us to one of the hospitals yesterday morning and it is currently...half-past two,”

“Oh.”

“In the afternoon.” Steve didn’t say anything. Whatever he said would ultimately be shut down by his brother. Instead, the two sat in silence. Steve closed his eyes, the burning in his side slowly dissipating. “They said you’ll be out of here within the hour, they’re just waiting to get some pain meds.”

“Is everyone else good?” Steve asked, his eyes still closed. 

“Besides Collins bitching to the other guys, yeah. They’re at the camp, but apparently there was some mail waiting for us.” Bucky pulled a letter out of his jacket, bright pink with flecks of glitter sticking to it. A bit stuck to Steve’s fingers as he opened the letter. One of the nurses came back into the room and rattled off a list of things to Bucky. They went back and forth for a bit as Steve read the letter. 

The voice of his brother faded into the background as he read and reread the letter. Steve didn’t pay attention to the tears clinging to his eyelashes. Steve had to remind himself that he didn’t even know this child, that this was just a kid who wanted to write someone a letter. Steve kept going over the letter until Bucky tapped his leg, looking at him with concern. “Everything ok? They got your meds ready.”

“Uhm...uh, yeah. Yeah, I’m good,” Bucky helped him sit up, his head already feeling better. Bucky kept a hand on his arm to hold him up.

“Are you sure?” Steve nodded. 

“Yep. I think you’ll wanna read this one when we get back.”

“Why not now?”

“Because you have to get driving.”


	6. picnic basket

Dear Peter,

It sounds like you and your dad have a lot of fun together. I could never build a robot myself, but maybe my brother could help me out? We can see you can build the coolest (you’d definitely win). If we put our heads together, we could probably make the coolest robot ever. I can draw the design and you can show me how to make it.

I’ve never seen an AI in real life, but I do know they’re super hard to make. I could never imagine that, but I bet you’re so used to it. 

I’m sorry about what happened to you at school. My brother Bucky went through the same thing when he was your age. His family didn’t like him, so he moved in with my family. I’m glad your family is behind your back. I’ll call my friends over and we can talk to these kids about being nice. I hope you’re not too hurt, otherwise, I might have to come back.

I’m glad you’re still learning, even when not in school. Though it’s important to take a break, something to relax that big brain you got. 

Thank you for sending those pictures, everyone really liked them! Some bad guys tried to stop our trucks yesterday, but everyone is doing good. My big head got a little bruise, but my doctor says I’ll be ok. Since I’m on bed rest, I drew a few pictures I thought you’d like!

Sincerely, Steve(n)

\----------

Peter was lying on the ground, facedown in the grass. Tony was only a few feet away, sitting on a bright red blanket. There was a cooler on the ground, filled with sandwiches, chips, fruit, and even some desert. “Pete, come on. You gotta come eat something before we go play again,” 

“But I’m watching the bug play!” Peter shouted, his face still pressed against the dirt. 

“I know bud, but you gotta let the bugs play with the other bugs. They can’t do that if your big ol’ head is in the way,” Tony replied. Peter sat back up, a pout on his face. 

“I don’t have a big head.”

“Sorry Pete, but those big brains gotta go somewhere. Anyway, I have a special surprise, but you only get it after you eat.” Peter practically tripped over himself to get to his spot. He tried to weasel the surprise out of Tony, but the man refused to give it up. Tony got Peter to finish a whole sandwich, a bag of apple slices, and some chips before the boy began to jump around again. “You need something smartypants?”

“Can I see the surprise now? I finished everything!” 

“What do you say, Pete?” Peter sighed, his eyes as big as saucers.

“Please?” 

“Your welcome,” Tony pulled the small envelope out of his jacket, handing it to Peter. His eyes lit up as he tore into the envelope. Pepper had been with Peter when he wrote the last letter, as Tony had been away at a conference. She had assured him that it had been sent to Rhodey that same day. Peter said he wouldn’t tell him what was on the letter until he got one back, and both Pepper and Rhodey refused to tell him. Tony could have just opened the letter and resealed it before he gave it to Peter, but he knew Peter would somehow find out. 

“Dad, look!” Peter threw himself onto Tony's lap, shoving the letter in his face. He pulled it away from his face, skimming over the short letter. His eyes fell on ‘I’m sorry’ and he paused, reading the paragraph over.

“Pete, what-” Peter shoved his hand onto Tony’s face, quickly covering his mouth. 

“I know you said that I shouldn’t tell him about the school thing but uncle Rhodey said he was super cool and would be ok and aunt Pepper said he was nice so she let me and that I shouldn’t tell you ‘cause you would go crazy.” Tony pulled the hand away from his mouth. 

“I’m not going to go crazy Pete. I was just worried that something could have happened. You know I worry about everything,” Tony explained.

“I know, but Captain Rogers is super cool and he was really nice. He said that his brother was just like me!”

“I know bud, I saw that bit and I’m very happy for you.” Peter jumped off of the ground, pulling Tony up until they were both standing. 

“Good, now can we go back to the swings?”

“Of course, Pete.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this one a bit shorter, we'll be moving into part two of this soon
> 
> :)


	7. Norbert the Frog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> introducing Norbert, the Frog.

Dear Mr. Rogers

I’ve been feeling a lot better since I got to go back to school. My dad let me help fix one of our old robots and I got to pick their name! (I named her Karen) When I got back to school I showed my friend Ned and he said it was the coolest thing he’s ever seen. I build lego robots with him but dad said that when I’m older, we can make a real one by ourselves! You can help paint the outside so it looks extra cool!

Did you stop the bad guys? Were there a lot of them? Uncle Rhodey is always fighting bad guys, even dad helps him out! One time my dad had to leave for a really long time because he was fighting some super bad guys, but he kicked all their butts, so it’s ok. When I grow up, I wanna build robots to help people and stop all the bad guys. I hope your head feels better soon so you can see cool places again.

I heard Rhodey and my dad talking about some soldiers coming home soon, are you going home? I can show you the new ice cream shop that opened last weekend. And I can make a really big sign so you know it’s me. I’ll make it all by myself, so don’t believe whatever my dad says. 

I took a few more pictures from my dad’s office (it’s up way super high) and some goldfish (I hope you like them, I asked rhodey but he didn’t know). 

All the bestest best, Peter(n)

P.S. 

I also sent you Norbert, or Norb if he likes you, and only the other animals call him Bert. My aunt knit him for me so that I had a friend when my dad was busy. His favorite game was always knight, so I think he can help you and your brother and your other friends. Just make sure he’s warm at night. 

\----------

When in doubt, Steve could always count on the stars. They never left, no matter how bad things turned out. On those bad days, when bad people seemed like the worst, Steve slept underneath the stars. He knew that his guys would never leave him in the open, especially Bucky. It was the one place he could relax, let someone else protect him for a change. 

Steve let the soft light wash over him for a long while as he drifted in and out of sleep. The next time he woke up, someone was lying down next to him, moving about as gracefully as a bag of bricks. 

“Anything from surveillance?”

“Good so far, and Gabe said that we’re good to move in the morning. I told Lewis to take over for the rest of the night.” Steve looked over to his brother. Something was off- Bucky, so usually sarcastic and witty, simply stared at the stars along with Steve. He tucked a jacket under his head and crossed his arms. Steve watched, waiting for some sort of prompt, but all he got was nothing.

“Everything ok?” Steve asked.

“Yeah.” Steve huffed, turning back towards the stars. Bucky sighed and adjusted the jacket a few times. “Sorry, it’s just...I called Clint, before I came over here. He got sick yesterday, flu or something, and you know how he gets when he’s sick.”

“Ma’s probably making every batch of soup that she can possibly make,”

“And he’s inhaling it just as quickly.” Steve managed to get a laugh out of the man, though it was still stressed. “I just hate not being there. All he did on the call was complain but- I don’t know, I guess I miss it.”

“You miss Clint complaining?”

“...yeah.” the sound of someone running toward them killed any response Steve could’ve said. It was one of the new guys if his shortness of breath wasn’t obvious enough. 

“Uh, Captain Rogers, a package just arrived for you. Jones said you were over here-”

“You got the package or not, kid?” Steve smacked Bucky's arm as he stood, wiping the dust off of his pants. He handed Steve the small package, his thanks lost to the night. He sat back down, holding the package away from Bucky’s outstretched arms. “Aw, come on! I wanna see what Ma sent,”

“Not from Ma, it’s Peter.” Bucky’s previous mood had dissipated, now replaced by the sheer excitement of a package from the kid. Steve made a mental note to ask about it later. He opened the small package, smiling as he saw a few small gifts in what could only be Christmas gift wrap. He pulled out the letter first, reading it as Bucky tore through the rest. 

“You got some goldfish, always a good choice, can’t wait for you to share. More photos- looks like he lives on a fucking cloud hovering above literally the middle of Manhatten. Last but not least, a, uh, stuffed frog?”

“Norbert.”

“What?”

“The frog, his name is Norbert.” 

“Jesus,” Steve turned toward Bucky. His brother had begun laughing hysterically, the worn stuffed animal tight in his grip.

“What is so funny-”

“This kid has you whipped! You’ve never even seen the kid and yet he has you wrapped around his little baby finger, it’s the best news yet!” Steve stood up, grabbing the toy out of Bucky’s hands. “Hey! Oh, come on Steve, I’ll be nice!”

“I’m going back to bed, don’t catch up.” Steve grabbed his box and left his brother under the night sky, the stars watching over him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been a while, and I have a couple of things to say. 
> 
> 1\. I have an Instagram now, mostly for these stories and some edits I make. I'll post updates whenever I post on Ao3, but I don't have a lot rn. Insta - ( dimitr_i_7038 ) also, feel free to dm me there, I am, as like most others, are quite bored.
> 
> 2\. As the quarantine continues, please remember to stay safe! Wash your hands, social distance, and whatever you can. This is a very crazy time. Please, for the love of whatever God you believe in, just try your best to be safe.
> 
> I think that's about it, and I hope you enjoy this part. We are getting closer to the meeting, perhaps only a chapter or so left. :)


	8. medication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> an incident occurs within the stark family, but the letters are always there to cheer up a certain boy.

Dear Peter(n) 

Thank you so much for your gifts, it really means a lot when I’m out here. By the time this reaches you, Bucky has definitely eaten most of the goldfish, though I did manage to sneak a few. Our guys started to put together a scrapbook, so I let them put a few in there. 

Bucky wouldn’t believe me when I told him about your new robot, I think he’s just jealous that you're smarter than any of us. (Don’t tell him I said that) I would love to help you paint your robot. I’m thinking more superman colors, something bright and fun. I wouldn’t let Bucky help if I were you, he’s not exactly a Picasso. Maybe we can let him draw a smiley face or two, something easy. 

Unfortunately, the bad guys ran away before we could catch them. There were only a few, but we’re on our way to stop them. After that, we’ll probably be heading back home. You’d have to ask your dad, but I would love to meet you in person- just don’t send a robot after me. 

Till the next, Steve

P.S.

My brother decided to take a few pictures while I was asleep, and a few of me I think (it was quite dark when he actually showed them to me). 

P.P.S

Rest-assured, Norbert (I think he’s ok with me calling him Norb now) is being very well taken care of, he probably saved me when I got my head hit. He takes on the role of my extra eyes on patrol and watches the tent when I sleep. Don’t worry, I’m keeping an eye on him too, he shall return to you safely. 

\----------

Peter hated the doctor's office. It reminded him of every bad thing that had happened to him- his mom leaving, his dad leaving, getting hurt at school. He only ended up at the hospital for bad things, and it seemed that his curse had yet to be broken. There he sat, sitting in the waiting room with Pepper, waiting for his father’s return. She tried to keep him distracted with small talk and games, even going so far as to offer her phone to him, a rare event for Peter. He didn’t accept any of her gifts. Instead, he twiddled with his thumbs and kept his eyes to the floor. 

“Sorry I’m late, had a few problems with the plane.” Peter finally looked up as Rhodey walked through the doors. He had a tray of drinks in one hand and a small duffel bag in the other. He handed Peter a small cup, hot chocolate from the smell of it, and sat on Peter’s right, trapping him in between the adults. “How’s it going, Pete?”

“Ok, I guess.”

“Don’t worry about your dad, I think we both know that one little stumble ain’t gonna knock him down,” Rhodey said cheerfully. Peter stayed silent as he sipped on his hot chocolate, ignoring the conversation above him. It wasn’t until a nurse walked in that he looked up again. She walked straight over to them with her clipboard in hand. 

“Family of Mr. Stark?” Pepper nodded as they all stood, even Peter. 

“Yes, how is he?”

“Well, he’s very...adamant. Hopefully, this is an isolated incident, but we gave him some medication just in case. The doctor said that this shouldn’t interfere with his upcoming surgery, so he should be able to leave within the hour.” 

“Can we go back and see him?” She led them through the hallway and into the last room. Peter could hear his dad before the door even opened. He was arguing with another nurse, trying to pull the IV out of his arm. “Seriously, Tony?” He looked up at the trio, his smile huge as he threw his arms out.

“Oh, thank all that is holy, my blood! Please tell this lovely nurse, um, Ms. Turner, that I am ok to leave,”

“Technically, you’re not,” Rhodey said. Tony scoffed, barely acknowledging the duffel-bag being thrown onto his lap. 

“Wha-What do you mean? I’m fine, it was one little hiccup, just forgot some medication Rhodey. It won’t happen again. And please, not in front of my baby,” Tony tossed the bag to the side and stretched his arms open, gesturing for Peter to come sit. Peter smiled, running to his father. He lifted Peter onto the bed, groaning at the weight. “You ok, Pete?”

Peter shrugged- watching your dad have a “mild” heart attack wasn’t the most comforting thing. Another nurse knocked on the door, holding up a new prescription. She handed it to Tony and left. 

“Despite Mr. Stark’s appearance, he is now free to go whenever, but we would appreciate it if he didn’t forget his medication again.” Tony scoffed, unable to think of an excuse for himself. The remaining nurses left, leaving Tony to change into his clothes. 

“I mean, it’s not like I meant to- I get into my work and time flies when you’re having fun, you know, so you can’t blame me for missing one day.”

“You didn’t miss one day, Tones, you missed four.” Rhodey said, the bluntness ever-present. Tony set Peter on the ground. He stumbled as he stood up, but Rhodey caught his arm, stabilizing him. “Let’s get you home. Also, you’re not going into that lab for the next week.”

“What!” Tony screeched. His eyes were blown wide as he stared at his friend. 

“He’s right,” Pepper chimed in. Peter laughed as his father waved his arms about as if he was swatting away their accusations. “I think SI can handle a week without your prototypes, and even then, I’m sure I can send some of your backups in,”

“Fine, but I should at least be allowed to tinker-” Pepper waved a hand before Tony could continue. 

“No, you will take a break, for once in your life.” Tony tried to argue but stopped once he saw her glare. They walked him out, Peter’s hand held tight in his fathers. Rhodey led them out to their cars. He promised to meet them back at the house, but before he left, he handed Peter a small envelope. 

“Here’s some light reading for the ride home,” Peter could only stare at the letter as Rhodey casually walked over to his car. He ripped it open as Tony set Peter in the backseat, sliding next to him. 

“What have you got there, Peter Pan?” 

“I got another letter from Steve!” Peter shouted.

“Well, why don’t you read it out loud so Pep and I can hear,” Peter began to read the letter, quietly pointing out the words he didn’t know to his dad and waiting for him to mouth the word back. He got even more excited at the end, twisting his entire body toward Tony. 

“Can we? Can we actually meet Steve? He’s really nice and he said we could build robots plus uncle Rhodey said he’s super nice-”

“Woah, Woah, hold your horses' kiddo. If you really want to meet him, we actually got to plan something out. Plus, he’s not exactly in the country right now, so it wouldn’t happen anytime soon.”

“But you didn’t say no.” Pepper could barely hide her laugh, and even Tony let out a smile.

“That was not a no,” Peter cheered the rest of the way home, oblivious to the world around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this one came out way later than I anticipated. I tried, but somethings just don't work out how you want them to, especially during a pandemic. Sorry if this bit seems weird, I'm writing it during my graveyard shift and I had one iced coffee a bit over 8 hours ago and nothing else, I am not coping well, but also just not coping well with anything recently. 
> 
> ANYWAY
> 
> this is the last chapter to part one: the letters. The next part will be the official meet of all of our beautiful boys. 
> 
> :-)

**Author's Note:**

> I have some quite wacky plans for this one. Comment your thoughts and ideas, as I am always open to some help!
> 
> (this work is pretty much going to be in 3 parts, each are multiple chapters)
> 
> :)


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